Chatham's Vijay Balse wins Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions

Jeopardy Productions Inc. BIG WINNER -- Chatham's Vijay Balse, pictured with host AlexTrebek, is the winner of Jeopardy's Tournament of Champions.
CHATHAM-TWP. -- Tonight, Chatham's own Vijay Balse won the prestigious “Jeopardy!” Tournament of Champions, taking home a quarter million dollars in cash winnings. It took him 16 years and six audtions to get on the game show, but Balse emerged victorious by outscoring 14 elite players from recent seasons.

In the final round Balse said the game changer was winning the second double jeopardy question. "That was the most important clue of the whole tournament because if Jason had buzzed in before me and answered the question correctly he could have locked up the game, " he said.

For those watching, it didn't seem like Balse had a chance. He was in last place with $8,800 going into the final Jeopardy question with competitors Jason Zollinger at $10,200 and Stefan Goodreau at $17,000. The final question asked "First published in 1880 and made into films in 1907, 1925 and 1959, it is the first work of fiction blessed by a Pope." And the answer? Ben Hur. Both Balse and Zollinger guessed correctly but it was Balse's two-day total of $23,000 that gave him the win. Zollinger came in second with $18,900 and Goodreau, who did not give an answer, came in third with $18,799.

“Winning a Tournament of Champions game is definitely much more gratifying than winning a regular game,” Balse said. “Any ‘Jeopardy!’ contestant would agree that getting the opportunity to match your playing skills against the best of ‘Jeopardy!’ is very rewarding in its own right.”

After watching his winning performance Friday night, Balse said it was a wonderful experience. "You get to meet all these wonderful people that you have watched play the game and the Jeopardy staff very helpful and welcoming," he said. "I am happy that I have made my family and hope that I have made New Jersey proud too."

Host Alex Trebek said, “It was a really close match up of players throughout this tournament. Vijay did an incredible job and consistently played well.”

When asked about plans for his winnings, Balse said, “My wife and I plan to use some of the winnings for travel and perhaps a second automobile. However, we hope to use the bulk towards a down payment for a new home.”

Originally from Bombay, India, Balse came to the United States on a scholarship for his Ph.D. to the University of Wisconsin in 1985. "On my application for citizenship i had to write 'Education is the key to success' to prove that I could write in English, " he said. "I grew up with modest means and I succeeded on my academic creditials currently resides so the statement is true!" Balse said that he hopes that hisstory serves as an inspiration not only for prospective Jeopardy! players, but also for viewers to realize that "hard work and other good qualities can lead to better things in life." Balse currently resides in Chatham with his wife Jayshree. The four-day champ first appeared on “Jeopardy!” in March 2010, accumulating $82,400.

Balse competed in the two-day final competition against Jason Zollinger, an engine assembler from South Dayton, N.Y., and Stefan Goodreau, a video game tester from Los Angeles. Zollinger earned $100,000 for second place and Goodreau won $50,000. The six players eliminated in the semi-finals each took home $10,000; players eliminated in the first round received $5,000.